


Faded Under Gold Skies

by SuchASeeweedBrain



Series: RNM One Shots [5]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex Manes Week 2019, M/M, Michael is in the airforce, Reunions, and so is alex, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 15:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18759388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuchASeeweedBrain/pseuds/SuchASeeweedBrain
Summary: Created for Alex Manes week 2019.What if the shed incident never happened, and Michael had also decided to join the Air Force?





	Faded Under Gold Skies

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this while watching a Champions League match, not my best decision ever.  
> Also posted this on my Tumblr: Daffietjuh

‘Oh come on Guerin, you can’t seriously tell me you think you can fix this thing?’ Avery motioned at the smoking Humvee with wild gestures.

‘We just need to cool it down, then I can take a look at it.’ Michael tried to calm him down, he got so worked up, so easily. ‘It needs to be out of here by sundown right?’

‘Yeah, that’s when the bigshots need it.’ Avery made a face. They’d been told to fix this particular Humvee, so that a team of “specialized operatives” could take it on mission with them. That basically meant whatever they needed the Humvee for, it was above their paygrade. Special ops. Michael didn’t mind not being clued in on everything. He’d chosen not to show the army everything he could do. Obviously, he wasn’t going to tell them about the alien part, but he’d also made a few extra mistakes here and there on his IQ test.

They ended up finishing the Humvee just as the sun disappeared behind the sand dunes.

‘Guerin?’ A voice asked, and Michael tightened the final valve before pushing himself from under the Humvee.

‘Yeah. That’s me.’ He said and looked up, only to stutter to a halt. ‘Alex?’

He hadn’t seen Alex Manes in five years. Right after their graduation, his dad had whisked him off into some specialized training camp, never to be seen again. Michael hadn’t known what to do with his life, so he’d decided to join the Air Force, he’d get to see the world. Leave that stupid little town behind him. Of course he missed Isobel and Max, but they had never needed him like they needed each other.

He wouldn’t say he’d forgotten about Alex Manes, his soft, warm skin and kind, brown eyes had always stayed stuck in the back of Michael’s head, but he honestly hadn’t expected to ever see him again.

‘Yeah. It’s been a long time.’ Alex said. He looked different now. He’d always been fit, but now he looked strong, his face had lost all remnants of baby fat and he looked more confident now. Less bravado, more actual confidence in his own skin.

‘Five years.’ Michael said. He remembered that night, right before graduation all too well. He had shown up at the UFO Emporium, right as it was about to close, hoping to catch Alex on his way home. They hadn’t ever really talked per se, but Michael had seen the way Alex looked at him, and he’d felt the flutter in his own stomach whenever their eyes met, so he’d decided to just go for it. If everything went to hell, he could just grab his diploma and bail.

So he’d managed to intercept Alex before he could head home and they’d had an awkward, tension filled conversation that had ended when Michael gave up and kissed him. It hadn’t been his first kiss, but it had been his first kiss that felt like it meant something. Too bad they never got further then that one night. Because the next thing he knew, Alex was gone and all people could tell him was that he joined some specialized program of the Air Force.

‘Manes.’ Whatever moment they’d been having, just staring at each other, was interrupted by a severe looking man in his mid-thirties that approached them. ‘Is this the Humvee?’

‘Yes sir.’ Alex said, standing up straighter immediately.

‘Is it done?’ The man asked Michael. His uniform identified him as Sergeant Hollows.

‘Yes sir, just finished it.’ Michael answered, pushing himself to his feet. He should probably have saluted, but the whole subordinate thing was one thing Michael had never been particularly good at.  

‘You’re sure it’s going to keep running?’ He asked Michael.

‘I can’t promise anything, but I’ve done the best I can with the time available. I would personally recommend taking another Humvee, but I’ve been told that’s not an option.’ Michael said, wiping his greasy hands on the rag in his back pocket.

‘This is the Humvee we need.’ Hollows said, looking at Alex, who gave him an affirmative nod.

‘Well, it should run fine, but if you head through rough terrain, there is a change it could break down. The fix I’ve been able to do is a temporary one.’ Michael said, he could have asked them to elaborate on why the hell they needed this specific Humvee, but he didn’t think they would answer him.

‘Maybe you should bring the mechanic.’ Hollows suggested and Alex’s impassive expression cracked for a second, showing disbelieve, he quickly got himself under control.

‘Sir? That does not seem like a good idea.’ Alex said, small frown between his eyebrows.

‘Just leave him at the Humvee.’

‘Alone? At night? In hostile territory?’ It was the most defiant Michael had heard him so far. And, well, Michael agreed, that did not sound like fun. He may be telekinetic, but that didn’t mean he was bulletproof.

‘You need this Humvee, you need to be able to make a quick exit, that means you have to take a mechanic. This one has just fixed it, so he knows exactly what’s wrong with it.’ This one also had a name.

‘Look, I don’t even really know what this whole mission is about. Maybe we could, you know, not drag me into something that sounds dangerous as hell, but that I’m not allowed to know anything about? I could just show Manes what the problem is, and then if it breaks down, he can fix it.’ Michael considered himself fairly brave, but this seemed like a situation with a ton of variables he wasn’t allowed to know about and he didn’t exactly like the idea of going into something very, very dangerous, blind.

‘No. You are going with them. Get yourself properly dressed, you have five minutes.’ Hollows commanded and then he just, walked away. Michael blinked after the man.

‘The fuck?’ Michael said, and Alex let out a completely inappropriate snort. He tried to school his face again, but he couldn’t quite keep the sparkle from his eyes. Michael liked him that way.

‘I know this sucks, but we’ll keep you safe.’ Alex assured him, even though he didn’t look thrilled by the whole thing either.

So Michael did as he was told. He dressed in a proper uniform, wore a bullet proof vest, attached his sidearm to his hip and joined what appeared to be Alex’s team.

‘So this is it huh?’ One of them said when Michael joined them. He was tall and thin and looked like he needed to eat more.

‘Yep, Delta, this is Michael Guerin, Guerin this is strike team Delta.’ Alex introduced.

‘So you get to know my name, but I don’t get to know yours?’ Michael asked, it earned him a delighted laugh from two of the guys.

‘Oh yes, another smartass.’ The guy to his left said. ‘Call me Green.’

‘As if we don’t have enough snarky assholes in this team already.’ The guy directly across from Michael said. ‘Hartley.’ That seemed to be his name, at least that’s what Michael assumed.

‘I’m Utah.’ One of the others said, and he sure as hell sounded like he was from Utah.

‘Taylor.’ The one standing at Alex’s shoulder introduced himself.

‘And you already know me, so, can we leave now. We’re already behind schedule.’ Alex said impatiently.

‘Yes Cap!’ Green saluted half-heartedly and Alex rolled his eyes. They got into the Humvee, Utah behind the wheel and Alex next to him up front.

‘So, how do you two know each other?’ Green asked, studying Michael intently.

‘We went to high school together.’ Alex answered from the front seat.

‘Ah, okay.’ Green nodded, he went quiet after that. Driving through the desert in the dark was not a pleasant experience. Especially not when Utah turned off the headlights. The Humvee held out and Michael thanked his lucky stars for that. Michael must have looked tense because Taylor leaned over.

‘Just make sure you keep your eyes open and keep breathing, Guerin.’ Michael just nodded. He felt out of his depth. The guys around him seemed perfectly calm as they stopped, what seemed to be, in the middle of nowhere. They exited the Humvee and closed the doors. The others all moved to the front of the Humvee, but Alex pressed Michael against the closed door.

‘Stay here. Don’t get in trouble.’ He was much closer then was probably acceptable, but Michael didn’t necessarily mind. Alex’s presence was calming. Michael nodded sharply.

‘Got it. Can you at least tell me which direction you’re going and how long I should wait before I panic?’ Michael asked, grabbing the front of Alex’s uniform before he could move off. Alex’s hand closed around his wrist.

‘Don’t panic. We’ll be back in forty five minutes tops. We’re heading west. That’s-‘

‘That way.’ Michael nodded west. Alex smiled.

‘Exactly.’ He took a breath. ‘See you soon Guerin. We should catch up when we get back.’ Alex brushed his thumb over Michael’s wrist, and he’d deny that he shivered for years. Alex smiled again before letting go of Michael’s wrist and disappearing into the darkness with his team.  

Michael did as he was told. He didn’t move, he didn’t panic, he kept his eyes open and kept breathing. He kept his eyes fixed west, trying to spot any figures moving in the darkness and trying to hear anything approaching. He waited and waited and waited. He’d always been fairly good at controlling his powers, better then Isobel and Max at least, but right there, he could feel the urge moving right under his skin. His entire body was screaming at him that he shouldn’t have let Alex go. He shouldn’t have let go five years ago, and he shouldn’t have let go thirty minutes ago.

He felt like he was about to burst out of his skin when the deafening silence was shattered by an explosion. Michael jumped at least a few feet into the air. The giant ball of fire that lit up the night sky made Michael feel like his heart stopped. Maybe it did. He felt frozen in place, just staring at the area now lit up by the fire burning in the distance, exactly west. He was about to start running in the direction of the fire, completely ignoring his orders, when he saw a shadow move against the orange sky. He drew his sidearm out of reflex. He kept it aimed at the ground, but with the safety off.

‘Guerin?’ The voice that came from the darkness had him sigh in relief.

‘Yeah. What the fuck was that?’ He asked as first Delta came hustling into view. Green, Taylor, Utah, Hartley and finally Alex.

‘Just a little gift from yours truly.’ Green grinned widely. Alex looked at Michael and shrugged.

‘You couldn’t have warned me about the whole “oh we’re going to blow the place up at the end” thing.’ Michael said.

‘Sorry.’ Alex didn’t sound like he meant it. They piled back into the Humvee, and started their journey back. It started smoking when they were literal yards from the base. The entire Humvee let out a sort of delighted laugh when the Humvee stuttered to a halt exactly inside the gates.

They exited the vehicle and Michael was delighted to find out Alex could have a bunch of guys come over and move the Humvee to his workshop just by asking. They took one look at his uniform and the name on it, and they just… did what he asked.

‘I guess there is an advantage to being a Manes after all, huh?’ Michael said. Alex looked at him with an unreadable expression. Then he looked over his shoulder and grabbed Michael’s sleeve.

‘Come with me.’ Michael didn’t even hesitate, and that probably meant something. Alex moved them behind a supply building, Michael just kept moving, pushing Alex against the building and crowding into his space. It was basically a reversal of their position earlier.

‘Have you missed me?’ Michael asked, watching Alex’s eyes flicker to his lips.

‘Yes. Have you missed me?’ Alex asked. Michael found himself smiling.

‘Yes.’

‘Are you going to kiss me, or are you just going to stare at me?’ Alex asked, titling his head back and giving Michael a challenging smirk.

‘Hm, I don’t know, I quite like the view.’ Michael grinned as Alex rolled his eyes.

‘I don’t have all night, Guerin.’

‘Impatient.’ Michael murmured, and he settled his hand at Alex’s waist. Alex finally seemed to have had enough of their games. He dug his hand into Michael’s curls, and pulled their mouths together. It had been way too long since he’d kissed Alex Manes. He’d missed the way Alex dug his fingers into Michael’s hair, the desperation he still hadn’t lost apparently. Clearly, they hadn’t lost that inexplicable connection. Michael pulled back, leaning his forehead against Alex’s taking in the sight of him.

He was stunning, and Michael promised himself, right there, right then, he would never look away again.


End file.
